Radar Video Combiner

Tracking, Fusion & Distribution

The Radar Video Combiner application takes in two streams of network radar video and combines them into a single, unified radar video output. The Radar Video Combiner is the ideal solution for merging independent radar feeds together, to form a seamlessly-blended data stream.

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Output radar video data is still in the polar domain and therefore appears as if it were a real radar feed to any receiving software. Additionally, since the output network stream is fully configurable, independently of the input streams, the Radar Video Combiner may be used as a lightweight distribution server.

The radars providing the input videos may be completely independent, operating asynchronously and physically offset from each other. Additionally, there is no requirement for the radars to be operating at the same range or even to have the same rotation rate. The output data is slaved to the rotation of one of the radars, designated the "master" radar, in order to minimise latency.

Where the radars have overlaps in their coverage the Radar Video Combiner can select which data is used, effectively mosaicking the inputs together and preventing timing artefacts. Furthermore, video samples may be "tagged" with the input source, allowing receivers to know which radar contributed to the sample and process/display them differently if required.

Infill

A typical use for the Radar Video Combiner is to present an operator with a radar image for the full 360° coverage where the main radar's coverage is interrupted by a persistent obstacle. For example on-board a ship the navigation radar may often have a blind sector due to the ship's superstructure. The Radar Video Combiner can take the video from the navigation radar and an infill radar, mounted aft, and present a continuous, uninterrupted radar picture to the display.

Typical application areas for the Radar Video Combiner include: windfarm mitigation, security installations and coastal surveillance. Essentially anywhere where a main radar has a region of poor or unreliable coverage that may be covered by a second radar.

Redundancy

In the event of loss of either input channel the Radar Video Combiner degrades gracefully, outputting the best available data at the time. This means the Radar Video Combiner may be used to offer a level of redundancy if fed with inputs derived from the same radar source. Alternatively, it can be used as an automatic failover switch between a main radar and an auxiliary one.